And This Is How It Began
by ghostsandflowers
Summary: Hermione can't sleep... There's one thing-no, one person on her mind, and she can't help but talk to him about it.


Hermione tossed and turned on the mattress in the small room she was sharing with Ginny. Ginny was out cold, but Hermione couldn't sleep. There were too many things running through her mind. She sat up, quietly as possible, and crossed her legs, leaning against the cold wall. She twirled a strand of her brown hair, a nervous habit she was developing. Just in the next room, Ron was asleep. _Ron._ Harry would be sharing his room with him when he came, but who knew when that would be?  
>Glancing over at Ginny, Hermione wondered absentmindedly what the Weasley's reactions would be if she and Ron were ever to... <em>No. <em>Why was she thinking like this? They were purely best friends and best friends only. But just earlier, she caught him watching her from the corner of his eye all throughout dinner.  
><em>NO. No, no, no. This isn't right. Not at all. But... No, no buts. No what ifs. None of that. But... <em>She banged her head on the wall lightly, biting her lip to contain her growl of frustration. She looked quickly at Ginny, making sure she was still asleep. Then she glanced at the door. Standing, she found herself in the hallway in a moment, taking nearly silent steps to Ron's bedroom door. When she reached it, she noticed that it was slightly open. Good, he was awake.  
>She reached his door and peeked inside. He was laying on the bed, staring at a Quidditch poster on the ceiling. He seemed to be quietly rooting for one of the teams that zoomed across the magical picture. Hermione chuckled quietly, took a deep breath and tapped lightly on his door. She inaudibly prayed he wouldn't hear her. Maybe she could just go back to bed... Read <em>Hogwarts, A History. <em>Drop this insane thought that they could be together from her mind.  
>She didn't even know why she was here. Was she going to talk to him? Tell him how she felt? No, of course not. That would be stupid. Yes, maybe she should just go back to her room...<br>Hermione turned around quietly, but before she could take a step, Ron's door swung open.  
>"Hermione?" he whispered. What are you..."<br>Someone from a room across the hall made a noise, and they both stopped dead. After a moment, Ron waved her into his room. Hermione winced, and turned completely around, taking slow steps into his small room. Ron closed the door behind her and sat down on the bed.  
>"What are you doing over here?" he asked, sitting down on the bed.<br>"I... I couldn't sleep.." she stuttered a bit. Why was she acting like this? She had been her normal, bossy, book-loving self just an hour ago, but now she was an emotional mess.  
>Ron patted the spot on the bed next to him for her to sit down. "Me either. I've been wondering about Harry a lot. You reckon he's alright?" he asked, sounding worried.<br>Hermione nodded, sitting down slowly next to him, but keeping a small distance between them. "You know Harry. He'll be alright."  
>Ron nodded in agreement, looking up at the poster again. "So what brought you to my room?" he asked, speaking as if to the poster. "Why not talk to Ginny?"<br>"She was asleep." Hermione said. "I couldn't stand the silence." she shrugged, glancing around the room, feeling awkward. _I shouldn't have done this, I should have stayed in bed. _  
>Ron looked back down and watched her. She seemed anxious, almost upset. Not the normal Hermione. "You alright?"<br>Hermione nodded quickly. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"  
>Ron studied her expression. She wasn't alright, that was obvious. "Something's up. I know it is." he paused. "Tell me, or I'll take your copy of <em>Hogwarts, A History.<em>" he threatened.  
>Hermione bit her lip, looking back at Ron, tears threatening to spill as their eyes met. Ron's eyes widened slightly. "I'm sorry, I won't take your book..."<br>"It's not the book." Hermione said, shaking her head.  
>"What then?" Ron's voice softened. He'd seen her cry before. The night on the Yule ball two years ago stuck out when he thought about that. The look in her eyes then were so much different then this time, though. Tonight, her eyes were trying to tell him something else. Were they pleading? Hoping? Hoping what?<br>Hermione's eyes were pleading for him to understand. To know why she was crying. To accept it, to move on. No, not to move on... To build on it. But she knew he wouldn't understand. She knew he wouldn't want to let this grow.  
>Ron searched her face, reaching up and wiping a tear from her cheek as it escaped. Then he understood. It was clear to him, now. Completely clear. And he realized, then and there, that the feeling was purely mutual. He watched her eyes, then leaned in slowly and pressed his lips to hers.<br>Hermione widened her eyes, her tears fading. This moment, this perfect moment, ended way too soon, when she and Ron pulled away at the same time, very quickly, moving away from each other, leaving a yard between them.  
>"We can't. Not with all of what's happening..." Hermione said after a minute of shock. Her voice was pained.<br>"I know." Ron whispered back. There was another few moments of silence. "We should get to bed..."  
>Hermione nodded quickly. "We should. I'll, um.." she stood and hurried to the door. Before she pulled it open, she looked back at Ron. "We're not telling anyone, are we?" she asked, purely out of curiosity.<br>Ron shook his head. "No. Not unless you want to.."  
>Hermione shook her head as well, then sighed. There was a pause before she said, "Night, Ron."<br>He smiled at her, a soft smile. "Night Hermione."  
>She returned the smile, and opened the door, stepping quietly out and slipping back into Ginny's room. As she curled up under the covers, she touched her lips. No. I wasn't possible for them to be together. Not now, anyway. But at least he felt the same. For once, she didn't feel alone.<p> 


End file.
